Nasheed and Shahid hold meeting since Nasheed’s return to MDP

Former president Mohamed Nasheed and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) president Abdulla Shahid met on Sunday night, amid the party’s preparations for the upcoming local council elections.

The meeting took place at Shahid’s residence, H. Rabiee Manzil, and was their first since Nasheed rejoined the MDP on 23 June, after a two-year absence.

Sources said the two leaders are also expected to meet former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, an adviser to the MDP, in the near future.

Nasheed’s return to active party politics comes as the MDP intensifies campaigning ahead of the party’s primary for the local council elections scheduled for 4 April next year.

Nasheed was accompanied at the meeting by former Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim, who is contesting the party primary. Solih, a former close ally of Nasheed with whom he has since developed political differences, is supporting Male' mayor Adam Azim.

Since rejoining the MDP, Nasheed has been working closely with the team of Fayyaz Ismail, who resigned as the party’s chairperson last month.

Shahid, who served as foreign minister during the Solih administration, is regarded as politically neutral within the party.